C25 The Divine Sword Was Unsheathed..

Elder Chiu Yue furrowed his brow before a realization seemed to strike him, and he responded, "The Martial Arts Platform? Better to wait until you've reached the Foundation Stage before attempting that. However, since you've mastered the Shadowless Step, feel free to check it out."

With a flick of his sleeve, Elder Chiu Yue produced a golden token from within and handed it to Jiang Su.

The token likely came from Elder Chiu Yue's storage space.

Jiang Su examined the golden token closely, noting the runes that appeared to be intertwined with countless golden threads, exuding a mysterious aura.

A familiar mechanical voice announced:

"You have obtained the key to the Sword Wing Peak's Martial Arts Platform."

"Stand at the mountain's edge and raise the token into the air; the Martial Arts Platform will reveal itself. The left side is dedicated to the sword arts. Just head over to the left to explore. I must be off now."

With his instructions complete, Elder Chiu Yue departed, unconcerned about any potential danger the Martial Arts Platform might pose to Jiang Su. After all, Jiang Su was adept at the Shadowless Step, enabling him to evade attacks. Additionally, Elder Chiu Yue had set the platform to a level one martial stage, suitable for a Foundation Stage cultivator to clear. Having reached the ninth rank of the Qi Sensing Stage, Jiang Su was well-prepared; even if he couldn't clear the stage, he would be safe.

It's good for the young to take on challenges!

The Martial Arts Platform at Sword Wing Peak is segmented into nine levels, each aligning with a cultivator's stage: Foundation, Golden Core, Nascent Infant, Divinity, Spirit Separating, Transcendence, Void Discerning, Mahayana, and Tribulation Crossing.

Yet, it's been over a millennium since anyone surpassed the Nascent Infant Stage. Such prodigies either failed to advance beyond it or had reached the Tribulation Crossing Stage over a thousand years ago, like the Female Ruler and the Immortal Sovereign. Consequently, the Cultivation World generally glosses over the more intricate intermediate levels.

As Elder Chiu Yue soared away on his sword, Wang Tian, busy with his sweeping, called out, "Elder Chiu Yue, have a safe journey!"

Sword-riding Flight is seriously awesome!

Once Jiang hits the Golden Core Stage, he'll be soaring with Sword-riding Flight too!

I'm rooting for Jiang to make the switch from Medical Cultivator to Sword Cultivator sooner rather than later.

It's a good thing Jiang Su was clueless about Wang Tian's current thoughts. If he knew, he'd probably sigh in resignation, "Truth is, I've been able to use Sword-riding Flight for quite some time now."

Jiang Su made his way to the brink of Sword Wing Peak and casually tossed a golden token into the air. It burst into a brilliant golden glow, and a swath of land ascended from the deep chasm, filling the voids to the left and right of the peak.

To the left lay the Sword Path.

Jiang Su stepped onto the Martial Arts Platform on the left. As his feet touched down, the once barren land transformed.

"Registration complete. The Taiqing Sword Manual from the Sword Dao Immortal Book has been added to your Storage Space."

Suddenly, he was faced with rows of humanoid puppets, each carved from wood and wielding a wooden sword, advancing towards him.

Despite their menacing appearance, they moved at a snail's pace.

With a mere flicker of his Shadowless Step, Jiang Su dispatched them effortlessly, his folding fan remaining untouched at his side.

"You have cleared the first level of the Martial Stage. Would you like to proceed to the second level?"

"Yes."

He had this nagging feeling that something was lying in wait for him, perhaps a hidden quest. He was determined to uncover it.

The golden token remained suspended in midair, then, as if manipulated by an unseen force, it shifted slightly to the left.

The same puppets as before confronted him, but now they were striking with a velocity several times greater, their swords slicing through the air. Their ranks swelled incessantly.

Jiang Su executed the Shadowless Step to evade their swift onslaught, but the puppets' accelerated pace was nearly overwhelming.

As he weaved through their attacks, he took note of their movement patterns and strike timings, discerning a rhythm.

It all tied back to the astrolabe described in the book.

His hand rested at his waist, biding its time.

A column of puppets lined up, poised to split and converge on him from every conceivable angle.

The folding fan traced a stunning arc through the air, slicing through the puppets with a metallic clang that echoed across Sword Wing Peak!

After its aerial dance, the fan returned to Jiang Su's grasp.

Wang Tian, spectating the fight, gaped in awe.

Are all Medical Cultivators this formidable these days?

Perhaps this fan is a disguised sharp sword.

How can it appear so delicate and harmless yet be so lethally sharp?

Had it been wielded on the battlefield, it would surely have been dubbed the Killing Fan.

For the moment, Jiang couldn't conceal the iciness in his gaze – he was simply too striking! Wang Tian mused.

Jiang Su's brow furrowed. Surely, the second-level Martial Arts Platform posed a greater challenge than this.

Abruptly, a fresh wave of puppets emerged where Jiang Su stood, and a formation sprang up beneath him, spreading across the area.

The space was awash with blue light.

From the formation, countless white ribbons surged, assaulting Jiang Su in unison with the puppets. Employing the Shadowless Step, Jiang Su's folding fan remained in relentless motion.

But these ribbons were resilient, regenerating swiftly after being severed, their attacks brutally fierce. The humanoid puppets had been enhanced, proving to be quite a handful.

Several exchanges later, Jiang Su's attire remained immaculate, untouched. Yet, his spiritual energy had begun to wane.

Wang Tian watched the fray with bated breath, aware that the duels on Sword Wing Peak's Martial Arts Platform were notoriously fierce.

Jiang Su brandished his folding fan once more, simultaneously retrieving a sword from his storage space. It was a three-foot-long green blade, its dark green hilt exuding a softness, while the dense runes on the sheath lent it an air of mystery.

With a single glance, Jiang Su drew the sword without hesitation, unfazed. But as the blade left its sheath, the sky above Sword Wing Peak darkened with gathering clouds, punctuated by the crackle of lightning. Jiang Su, standing below, was taken aback by the cold gleam radiating from the sword in his hand.

The sword bestowed upon him by Su Wuyou had the power to summon such extraordinary phenomena – it truly was a Lower Realm treasure!

Yet, his amazement was fleeting, and he quickly regained his composure, remaining in battle mode.

He recited the incantation for sword control, and obediently, the sword settled at his feet.

Jiang Su took to the skies with Sword-riding Flight. In a mere moment, he evaded every ribbon attack and firmly grasped the fan once more.

As he was about to sheathe the fan at his waist and launch a sword attack, the tide turned. Swarms of shadowy figures lunged at him, employing the Shadowless Step – mimicking Jiang Su's own technique.

The humanoid puppets within the sword formation could actually duplicate his Shadowless Step!

It's no wonder that the Martial Arts Platform had managed to ensnare Elder Chiu Yue for so long.

Witnessing Jiang's mastery of Sword-riding Flight, Wang Tian's broom clattered to the ground in shock.

Jiang was merely a Qi Sensing Stage cultivator, wasn't he? Sword Cultivators typically required the attainment of the Golden Core Stage to perform Sword-riding Flight! And Jiang, a Medical Cultivator at that – how could he have already mastered it?

This remarkable event was a clear testament to Jiang's prodigious talent.